The Love Of One Woman
by Professor-Hermione-Snape
Summary: Snape and Granger were in love post OOTP. Mistakes destroyed their romance and Granger married Potter instead. Five years later they get a second chance for true love. Completed (Chapter 1 restored)
1. Return to Me

**Title:** The Love of One Woman   
**Summary:** It's five years post OOTP. Hermione is a teacher at Hogwarts, and is suffering in a loveless marriage to Harry Potter. Will she find the love she needs with the often quiet, and mysterious, Potions Master?   
**Notes:** Pairings of HP/HG, HG/SS, HG/RW. Mostly HG/SS. Inspired by the film, Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, and Sense and Sensibility, a film based on the amazing work of writer Jane Austen. Both films stared the amazing actor, Alan Rickman, as well. This is also inspired by all the great and wonderful Harry Potter fan fiction that I've happily enjoyed reading here. 

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** The Love of One Woman******

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**Chapter One******

**Remember Me**   
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Five years since they all graduated. Hermione was smiling at her desk in the home she shared with her husband, Harry Potter, as she was studying the pages of their old photo album of their last year at Hogwarts. 

The first image was of herself, Ron, and Harry. They all had their arms wrapped around eachother, and were grinning away. Harry's image stopped and waved at her every few seconds. Hermione wiped a tear from her eye as Ron did nothing but smile at her. It had been so long since she seen him last. The last time had been his wedding day. Ron had been about to marry Harry's old girlfriend, Cho Chang. Hermione had happily wished the couple well. Harry had shook his hand and not looked at Cho Chang even once. 

To this very day, Hermione still believed that Harry never forgave Ron and Cho for falling in love, and getting married.   
The deepest part of her heart told her that it was nothing. That Harry married her out of love, and not because she had been his second choice for a wife.   
But her mind always told her what her heart didn't want to hear. 

Harry still loved Cho. Six years after their break up, and Harry was still in love with her. Harry had taken her as his _wife_, and he still loved _her.___

Sometimes Hermione hated him for it. So much that her heart screamed for her to just run away and find a man that was truly worthy of her, body and soul. But she still remained with him. _Mrs. Harry Potter, at your service.___

Hermione was finished with the photo album before she knew it, as she finally reached the last page. There was a lone image staring at her. It was a photo taken by her Head of House just after she had passed her Potion OWLS exam. Professor Snape, had stood beside her with his usual dark scowl on his likely once handsome face, as herself beamed into the camera holding up her perfect test score. 

Hermione laughed out loud at the photo. Thinking back on Snape, he hadn't been half as bad they used to make him out to be. 

Well, maybe a little. 

She was curious what the look on his face was going to be when the old Professor heard who was going to be taking his place as Potions Master, as he finally had gotten the DADA teaching job for himself. 

Snape's role in the war she have been enough to convince Dumbledore years ago that he was more than the right choice as the DADA Professor. 

Hermione smiled and put the Album away in a draw by her feet at the Desk. 

She got up and left the den. 

It was nearly time to get ready for Hogwarts. 

They were all expecting her, after all.   
  
  
  


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Note: This is my first real attempt at a full fan fiction Harry Potter story. My grammar isn't the greatest, and my writing could likely use alot of work, but I'm not that bad of a story teller if you hold on, bare with me as I learn, and give me a chance. ;)   
  
  
  
  
  
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	2. Forever Isn't Long Enough

**The Love of One Woman******

**Chapter Two******

**_Forever_****__**

**_"Hermione, I know we've only been seeing each other, romantically, for the last few months," Harry began uneasily. This was the last conversation he ever thought he'd have with her, but here he was, about to claim his love for her. Even after Cho deciding to marry Ron Weasley, his best friend, instead on him. Harry wasn't sure if his attraction to Hermione was some sort of strange revenge against Ron and Cho for finding each other. But Harry knew one thing for certain. He loved Hermione Granger more than words could ever say. That would have to be enough for the both of them, should she say yes to his next question, that is._****__**

**_"Go on, Harry," Hermione encouraged with a soft voice, as she smiled beautifully at Harry, and took his hands in hers from across the sofa. "Please, do go on."_****__**

**_"I was wondering," Harry choked. "Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"_****__**

**_Tears filled her deep brown eyes, and Hermione forced another smile threw her tears, as they fell down her soft skin. Harry actually loved her enough to ask for her hand. After her last relationship Hermione deeply feared that she would never be loved again. The pain was still fresh from that relationship, but with Harry by her side, she knew for certain she could move on._****__**

**_He was her best friend, her lover, her everything, now that *he* had left her._****__**

**_She could always count on Harry to always be there._****__**

**_"Yes, Harry," She beamed threw her tears. "I will marry you."_**   
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"Mrs. Potter!" a hard cold voice exclaimed sharply, forcing Hermione from her dream. She opened her eyes to see that she was on the train bound for Hogwarts, and that she was no longer alone in her private teachers cabin. 

"Severus," Hermione gasped, finding it deeply difficult to breath just then. "I had no idea you were on the train, and why are you in my cabin?" 

"Fate has seemingly decided to bring me to you, again." Snape scowled furiously. "I'm to watch over you until you're settled in the castle, after we've arrived." 

Hermione didn't know if she should give fate a kiss just then, or punch it hard in it's nose.   
  
  


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	3. Give Us A Night To Remember

**The Love of One Woman**   
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**Chapter Three**   
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**_A Night To Remember_**   
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**_"Oh, Severus, this has been so much fun," Hermione Granger gushed happily, as she leaned back farther into the arms of the man she had come to love very much. Since the war ended they had been always together, and Hermione was discovering more and more, how deeply wonderful Severus Snape truly was._****__**

**_Severus wrapped her more tightly in his embrace, and kissed her cheek. They were snuggled together on a bench on top of the Slytherin Tower, gazing up at the stars._****__**

**_This place was his favorite in all of Hogwarts. He had come up here often as a School boy to get away from everything. The students, the teachers, and everything else that threatened to rob him of his own thoughts._****__**

**_And more than anything he longed to share this place, and all the peace and beauty it offered, with her and her alone. Severus had never dreamed of this of course. His relationship with Hermione had been growing more and more into something he couldn't quite manage to explain. It had started out as a deep and warm friendship. He had saved her life when Voldermort had attacked the School the year before, and everything had continued from that day on._****__**

**_They were never one without the other. They had shared some wonderfully passionate kisses and words of affection during the course of their 'friendship'. But nothing, yet, had been declared in stone. No words of what this exactly was for each of them. No declaring of love at that._****__**

**_But Severus knew he was in love with her. He just feared more than anything, even feared more than he did of the Dark Lord then, that she never seen things going in the direction that he did. He wasn't even certain that she loved him in return. Considering her youth, this just may be a flight of fancy for her. He knew for her last few years of Hogwarts that she had a crush on him. Severus feared more than anything that this was just a meeting of a goal for her. She had finally won the heart of the teacher she had fancied as a child._****__**

**_He half expected her at any moment to dump him for that Weasley boy that had been eyeing her since his third year at the School. Ronald Weasley was an idiot at best, but he was an idiot that was much closer to her in age than he ever could hope to be. He was going to be forty-one this year, and she was just barely eighteen. It would make sense for Hermione to leave him for Ronald Weasley._****__**

**_But what fascinated him was that she didn't leave._****__**

**_She was happy and content at staying in his arms like this, and staring up at the stars in the sky._****__**

**_That must mean what he dared hope._****__**

**_That she loved him too._****__**

**_"Are you happy, Hermione?" He asked softly in her ear._****__**

**_"I could stay like this forever, Severus," She exclaimed joyfully, wrapping her arms tightly in his own, and leaning back farther against him. "I love you, Severus. I never want this to end."_****__**

**_It was then they shared their first real kiss. It was deep and more passionate than he had ever shared with her before. It was a kiss like no other in his life. He found himself pulling her more onto his lap, and crushing her against him as much as he could without hurting her._****__**

**_"I want to make love to you," He whispered in her hair, before catching her lips in yet another madly driven kiss. "I want you right here, and now." He growled into yet another kiss._****__**

**_In his passion her House robe ripped off in his hands, and his was next as she clawed at his chest in her own fiery passion for him._**   
**_She was quickly in his lap facing him, kissing him as deeply as she could._**   
**_Their clothes were all soon nearly off as he entered her. Each gasping for air as they reviled in each other's pleasure and lust under the moonlight sky._**   
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Severus Snape opened his eyes to see Hermione, no, that was Mrs. Potter now. He corrected himself firmly. Leaning against his left arm in a fitful sleep. He was startled slightly as she moaned in her slumber, and rubbed her head more firmly against his left arm. 

She looked so beautiful as she slept. Peaceful and inviting. He quickly thought of how easy it would be just now to give into those sweet lips, and kiss her as deeply as he could. He felt a stirring inside of him and forced himself to look away from her. 

There was no use of thinking such things now. Hermione was a married woman, and in love with her childhood friend, Harry Potter. She was not the kind of woman to think back on what could have been. 

Severus sighed deeply as he admitted to himself that his chance was now gone. 

He let it walk out the doors of Hogwarts the morning after she had declared her love for him, and he couldn't tell her those same words back, no matter how much they had been roaring in his chest for her. 

Severus Snape, ever the coward when it came to love, couldn't tell the woman he loved how he felt about her.   
In fact, he had stayed silent, as she had pleaded to know his feelings for her. That he would not just leave her to think their first night of lovemaking had meant nothing.   
That it had been only sex for him, and it was best to leave things as that, because she had still been a student, even though one week from graduating. 

The next morning she had left Hogwarts forever. Dumbledore had granted her the degree early, at an excuse she got a placement at the university, and she wanted to go over her classes before the other students had the chance too. 

Hermione had told no one of their relationship out of fear it would get him fired by the ministry for being involved with a student.   
She had told no one even when he had hurt her so badly. 

It was the day before the graduating ceremony that he heard Potter bragging to some students that he got himself a girlfriend.   
Severus had first summed it up to Potter trying to make himself look good after losing his last girlfriend to Ronald Weasley. He didn't want them to think he was leaving Hogwarts without someone new. 

But then he had said her name, and he felt as if he had been stabbed threw his heart. 

**_"Hermione and I have fallen in love," Potter bragged boldly. "In fact i'm going to ask her to marry me next month when she gets settled for University. I think she'll say yes."_****__**

_Of course she'll say yes._ Severus had longed to scream at him. _She'll say yes because I was a fool and let her go.___

Severus gazed down at her sleeping form as it cuddled into him again. He smiled down at her and lightly kissed her cheek. 

"Wake up, Mrs. Potter," Severus then said in his usually cold tone. "We're all most there!" 


	4. Into the Past with Mrs Potter

**Chapter Four**   
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**_Into the past with Mrs. Potter_**   
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**_"Hermione, can I talk to you?" Severus Snape asked softly, as he had noticed the young woman about to enter the Great Hall for the final Feast for her seventh year. In another day she would be gone from here forever. He had to ask if it was true. That she was seeing Potter merely hours after their arguement. Had he meant so little to her for her to be so desperately cruel? Had he hurt her that much?_****__**

**_ Cold brown eyes stared up at him. She was dressed in her House robes. They were new. Her parents had bought them for the Graduating ceremony. It was a good thing considering what happened the night before to the old._****__**

**_"Why should I talk with you?" She asked bitterly. "You couldn't even say- -" She broke off, tears stinging her eyes at her embaressment of the evening before. "I told you that I loved you, and you made love to me, and you couldn't even say the words back, Severus." Hermione snapped, choking on a sob rising in her chest. Harry and Ron had been right all along. He had only wanted her so he wouldn't be alone anymore. He didn't love her at all. She was not going to be someone's sex doll. Even dispite how very much she loved him to think of letting him do just that._****__**

**_"Tell me the words, Severus," Hermione then begged, pleadingly so. "Please tell me my love that you love me, and I won't go away. We can stay here together, forever. Just please tell me that I didn't sleep with a man who didn't love me as much as I loved him?"_****__**

**_"You didn't, Hermione," Severus replied, holding back emotions of intense grief, as he watched his lover plead her agony to him. "I do more than words could ever tell you. Dammit, woman, stop listening to your idiot friends for once! They're driving us apart! Can't you see that? Potter wants you because he doesn't want to be made a fool of by Weasley. He will never know you like I do." Severus told her in breathless passion, and gasped for air as she let him touch her shoulders. "I care for you more than anyone I've ever known in my entire forty-one years. Please, my love, don't walk away now."_****__**

**_"Severus, why can't you tell me that you love me?" She whispered, out right sobbing now. "Am I so horrible of a woman to love? I know I'm younger, but age doesn't matter. You told me you believed this!"_****__**

**_"I- -," Severus looked away from her griefstriken eyes, fighting for control of himself. He knew what she needed to hear, but why couldn't he get the words out? Dammit! He thought bitterly, cursing himself for being such a bloody coward. "Because I'm afraid, all right?" He screamed._****__**

**_"Why?"_****__**

**_"I don't know!" He cried passionately, still not being able to meet her eyes._****__**

**_"Harry wasn't afraid to tell me this morning that he loves me." She then said._****__**

**_His world stopped dead as he helplessly watched her walk into the Great Hall, he being too shocked to say one more word._**   
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Hermione Potter opened her eyes to see Severus leaning over her. His thin but firm lips were a kiss away from her mouth. Her eyes had teared over because of the dream, and she rubbed them furiously. 

She was a married woman. Married women were supposed to be happy. 

Especially around former lovers that you had dumped for said husband. 

"We're there all ready?" Hermione beamed into his face happily, making him scowl. 

Severus noticed the still closeness of their bodies, and moved about a foot away from her on the soft bench of the cabin. It wouldn't do good for anyone on the train to see him cuddling Potter's wife in a private cabin. 

"Yes." He merely replied. 

His eyebrows then shot up at the question he'd been dying to ask since sitting down next to her on the Hogwarts Express. 

"Where is the dear Mister Potter then, _Mrs. Potter_?" He asked curiously. 

Hermione scowled furiously. 

"You'll address me as Professor Potter, or Hermione, Severus," She spat darkly, before giving him a once over with her eyes. "I am a Teacher this year. Your bloody replacement, no less. So I think I deserve some respect!" 

Severus had to bite his lips hard to hide a mighty grin on his face. It felt damn good to argue with her again like that. 

Too good. 

"Of course, _Professor Potter." _He sneered. 

She gave him another dark scowl before replying. "Harry is in London visiting Ginny Weasley, and her boyfriend, Daniel Williamsforth. Daniel was a former Quiddtich player in Harry's last year. They became good friends. Harry introduced him to Ginny last year. Ginny and Daniel are even getting married next year." 

"So soon?" 

Severus frowned when he realized, given their own history, that wasn't the best line of conversation to have right then. 

_Bloody hell! Too late now!_   
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	5. Time Will Only Tell

**The Love of One Woman**   
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**Chapter Five**   
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**_Time Will Only Tell_**   
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Hermione was the first off the Train and smiled when the view of the School fell into her sights. It was like she never left. She briefly wished she never pushed Harry into going to Ginny's home in London now. Hermione felt lonely without him at her side. Dispite some of the distance that had been between them in recent years, she still deeply loved him. He had always been like family to her. Him, and Ron. 

That was what she enjoyed about their marriage the most. It was so comfortable at times it was nearly frightening. 

Safe. Was another word that perfectly explained her feelings of their relationship. Harry would never do anything that would ever hurt her. That would ever break her heart. Not ever knowingly anyway. 

Hermione gave a suprised look at the man who started to walk beside her toward the School's grounds, and she could see two clothes chests hovering behind him. One was hers, and the other belonged to him. 

"I thought I'd bring yours along too," Severus murmered softly. "It was sitting beside mine anyway in the Cab." 

Hermione smiled a small smile. "Thank you, Severus. You didn't have too, you know. You owe me nothing." 

"But I do." He replied. 

She looked back up at him as they walked along. She never expected that reply. 

"How so?" She asked curiously, not hiding a grin. 

"You may not think of the last conversation that we had anymore, Professor," Severus began cooly, making a point to meet her gaze. "But I do. I have quite a lot over the years. I for one hold regret over my actions then. I treated you, rather badly. Dispite the relationship we shared then, we were friends above all else, and I treated you horribly. I shouldn't have." 

"You never treated me horribly, Severus." Hermione replied softly, not looking at him now as they continued to walk along. "If anything, It was me. I ended our relationship, and left the school. I married another man less than three months to the day we broke up. I never gave you the chance you deserved, Severus. I should have been more patient with you. I was such in a hurry to grow up. I wanted to get married and attend university so very young. I planned to have two children all ready at my age now, and I'm only twenty-two just this year." 

"Do you and Potter have children, Professor?" Severus asked curiously. Silently he was preying for her reply to be no. He couldn't say why for certain just then. 

"No," Hermione admitted sadly. "Harry doesn't want children for awhile yet. He wants us to get settled for afew years in our marriage and new home he bought in London. We move in next month on Halloween break." 

"How long is awhile?" Severus pressed. He expected her to say none of your business but she didn't. 

"When we're both about thirty or so." Hermione replied as they neared the School now. "Harry's afraid a baby would cause trouble with his Quiddach career and all. He wouldn't be around to help me out with the children." 

"He's obviously not concerned if you have children, or not, then." Severus replied icily. "He should be happy that you would want to be the mother of his children. Proud as hell, in fact. I know I-would be." 

Hermione beamed at him. "Thank you, Severus, for being a friend to me. I've never stopped hoping for that much." 

"I've never stopped caring for you, Hermione." He then replied, not caring about names anymore. "It was only that I was much too late in admitting that before." 

Hermione grinned up at him with tears in her eyes, and grabbed his offered arm as they walked towards the lake. The boats were waiting as Hagrid guided first years into boats first. 

"Lets go this way, Severus, please?" She pleaded softly. "It brings back so much for me." 

Severus scowled as he watched the first years get into the boats. _She actually wanted to go with them? _He thought bitterly. 

"Fine, but I'm casting a charm to make one of the boats larger," He scowled. "I'm not going anywhere in one of those tiny little tubs." 

Hermione laughed out loud. 

"Sounds good." She grinned.   


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	6. The Series of Letters

**Chapter 6**   
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**_The Series of Letters_**   
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Dear Harry, 

We've finally arrived at the School. It was so good seeing everyone again. It was like I never left here at all.   
I wish that you were with me now. You're about the only thing that's missing from my home coming. 

See you soon, 

Love, Hermione   
  


Dear Hermione, 

The house is nearly all settled. Ginny and Daniel have been a huge help. I wish I was there with you too. 

Let me know if you need me there sooner. I'll see what I can do. 

Love, Harry   


Dear Harry, 

I always need you with me. You're my best friend in the world, Harry. I wouldn't have gotten through these last years without you. 

Love, Hermione   


Dear Hermione, 

Sure you would have. Snape was nothing to miss. You were so much better than him. He never deserved the love you gave him. 

Yours, 

Harry   


Harry, 

I know you don't like him because I share a past with him. But he is a good man. I could never love anything less than a good person. 

I hurt him, Harry. Not the other way around. 

Please, be here soon so we can talk. 

Hermione   


Hermione, 

Why are you defending that bloody old git? He did so hurt you. He used you and never told you that he loved you. 

Harry   
  


Harry, 

Stop being like this. You know that I've always cared for him. I also count him as a friend. 

Hermione   


Hermione, 

If you want to be that way, then care for that old bat! I DON'T care! 

Harry   
  


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Hermione tore up the last letter, sobbing on her bed. She couldn't believe that Harry was being this way with her. 

He was always so caring, understanding, and kind. 

It was what made her fall in love with him over the years. 

Now they seemed so different. So apart. 

Hermione continued to cry on her bed until she fell asleep.   
  
  



	7. Everything Leads To You

**The Love of One Woman**   
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**Chapter 7**   
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Hermione Potter took most of the early morning to pick herself up from her bed, and get ready for breakfast in the Great Hall. It was her first breakfast there in five years, and for the first time in Hermione Granger's life, she was running late in starting her day. 

She hurried toward the Great Hall and then walked her way toward the Teacher's table. She frowned upon noticing that Severus was already gone. 

Hermione sat beside a new teacher that she never expected to see in all her years at Hogwarts. Cho Chang-Weasley. 

"Cho, I had no idea that you went into teaching," Hermione said softly, fighting the urge to mention Ron, and gloat that the better woman won Harry. Because Hermione didn't win anything. She won Harry because Cho had tossed him away, and lost a great friendship in Ron. Harry hated any attempt she made to have contact with Ron and Cho. 

He had even forbid her in going to the wedding. 

Hermione had missed Ron deeply over the years, and always hoped that he understood why she had stayed out of his life. 

"I graduated two years ago, after the birth of my daughters, Mina and Molly." Cho beamed proudly, instantly pulling out magical photos from her pockets. Two beautiful baby twin daughters, which both had deep brown eyes, and bright red hair. 

"Oh, they're so beautiful, Cho," Hermione gushed, tears stinging her eyes. How she longed to have children of her own too. 

"These are my first two, Arthur and Ling," Cho stated, happily pulling out another set of photos. "They're named after our father's, of course." 

Hermione gaped at another set of twin photos in awe. Images of twin baby boys were grinning at her, as they looked at the camera for mommy. Both boys had their mother's tone, but had their father's eyes, and the famous Weasley red hair like their sisters did. 

"You have four children?" Hermione asked, expecting to see yet another set of twin photos handed to her at any moment. "In five years?" 

"With number five on the way." Cho grinned, patting her belly gentally. 

"wow." Hermione then whispered smally. 

Hermione was trying to fight the jelous feelings in her stomach, but she couldn't help it. She wanted to hate Cho desperately right then for having all that she didn't. 

A husband who obviously was passionately in love with her, and Cho had the big, happy family, that Hermione had always dreamed for. 

Her eyes filling, Hermione could no longer hide her pain, and fled the Great Hall as fast as her legs would carry her. 

At the enterance she smacked right into a hard warm body. The body quickly took her into it's embrace, and Hermione held onto it for dear life, sobbing her eyes out. 

"There, there, my love." a most welcoming voice whispered into her hair. "I have you. And I'll never let you go." 

Hermione then opened her eyes, and before she knew it, Severus' lips locked with hers, and she preyed that he _would_ never let her go.   
  
  


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	8. A Kiss is Just a Kiss

**The Love of One Woman******

**Chapter 8**   
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**_A Kiss Is Just a Kiss_**   
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Hermione leaned into the kiss as he captured her lips with his own, drawing her into his embrace, and pulling her as tightly as he could manage against him. Hermione lived in the moment. She not once cared if anyone seen them. 

It had been far too long in feeling this way about a man, and it felt as good as heaven to be in his arms again. Even only for a very little while. 

Before she knew it he pulled away from her, and was hurrying away in the opposite direction down the corridor. 

"Severus!" She cried. "Wait, please!" 

It was then three students exited the Great Hall, and was looking at her as if she was insane. 

"Professor Potter, are you all right?" asked Eliza Jameson of Hufflepuff. Eliza was a fifth year, and in Hermione's first class tomorrow morning. 

Hermione forced back her tears, and gave the three girls the brightest smile she could. 

"Of course." Hermione lied, just barely so. "I just wanted to speak with Professor Snape about borrowing some text books of his. He was Potions master here for nearly twenty years, you know. He could be of great help to me." 

With that odd, lame, excuse, Hermione made her way after Severus, trying not to run while the students were watching her.   


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"Severus!" She shouted, banging on the doors of the dungeons. "Please talk to me." She nearly begged. "I need to see you! Please?" 

"GO AWAY!" came a hard and cold cry from the other side. 

"NO!" She shouted back, equally cold sounding. "Make me!" She then shouted for good measure. 

_I'm going all Muggle again.___

_Won't he love that?___

"Hermione, please go away." came a much softer reply. "I-I can't see you. Now right now!" 

"Why not?" She begged again. She couldn't help it anymore. 

"Hermione." His voice was soft, desperate, weak. She knew he was fighting something too. But Hermione didn't know if she wanted to fight _that something, anymore.___

_Please, Severus...___

Slowly, the doors then opened. 

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Hermione began crying upon seeing the tears in his own eyes which he had been fighting not to shed. 

Wordlessly, he took her into his arms again, but this time he just held her, as he lead her inside his rooms, and closed the doors behind them. 

"I'm sorry." Came an instant reply. 

Hermione looked up into his kind warm eyes, and kissed his cheek softly. 

"Don't be sorry." She urged him. "I'm not!" 

He looked all most suprised by her words, but then really wasn't. It just seemed like the polite thing to do, as like it or not, Hermione was no longer _his_ to kiss. 

"What about Potter?" He had to ask. He had to know where her heart was in this. "Do you love him?" 

"Yes." 

He blinked. Not expecting that answer somehow. 

"But," She began, weakly. "I don't love him like a wife should. We're always apart. Harry never- shows me affection anymore. I'm more like a sister to him than a wife. I guess- in a way- that says my feelings for him in these last years." 

"But do you love him, Hermione?" Severus said, repeating the question forcefully. "Your marriage is distant now, but you _did_ marry him. Surely you loved him at some point? Or was your union just a way in getting my attention?" 

Hermione then slapped him hard across his face. 

"How dare you even think I'd do that to my best friend!" Hermione hissed furiously. "Of course I cared for him!" 

"Now look who can't admit to loving someone." Severus retorted back sharply. "You married him because I never asked you to marry me! Why can't you see that, Hermione? Admit it, finally, you're not perfect! You surely as hell never will be!" 

"FINE!" Hermione screamed. "I did marry Harry because I couldn't have you! You happy now, you nasty git? I married my best friend to use him! Just like he uses me everyday we're together. I'm not that bloody Cho, and her four point five children. Hell, I should have picked Ron when I could have over Harry. At least I'd have children to go with my unhappy-as-hell marriage!" 

"You're not happy with Potter?" Severus whispered this time. 

"No." admitted Hermione tearfully. "I'm not." 

There was then a knock at the doors. 

Severus crossed the floors in one swift motion and opened the large wooden oaks. 

"Hermione." Severus said, after a long silence. 

"Yes?" 

Severus then opened the doors farther to reveal who was standing there. 

It was Harry. 

"Welcome home, Harry." She said. But her tone was dead.   
  


***   
  
  
  



	9. Living a Lie

**The Love of One Woman**   


**Chapter Nine**   


**_Living a Lie_**   
  
  


*******   


"Hermione, I've missed you so much," Harry whispered softly, and gentally pulled his wife into his arms, and slowly she relaxed against him. "I'm sorry that I was away so long. I just wanted London to be perfect when you got there." 

Anger built up in her chest. He was acting as if nothing was wrong. That he never sent her angry, hateful letters. That he never hated that she was continuing the friendship part of her former relationship with Snape. 

What Hermione hated right now the most was that he had discovered her in the Dungeons alone with Snape, and he wasn't even saying a damn protest. She felt like a fool in accepting his attention like this now. A stupid, foolish, school girl, that didn't know any better. 

"I'm sure it will be." Hermione replied, rather painfully. Right then she had no attention of ever seeing London of course. At least not with her husband. _Why can't you say you're sorry, Harry? Everything will be fine if you say your sorry. Then I'll have my excuse to forgive you._

Hermione frowned when Harry then ignored her and greeted Snape instead. 

"Professor Snape, I trust you've been taking good care of Hermione for me?" Harry smiled forcefully, as he shook hands with the older man. "I know my wife can be a handful when she gets bored." 

"That is one thing that Professor Potter has never been in my presence, _Potter._" Snape sneered delightedly. "_Bored."_

Hermione faught to hide a wide grin at his comment. Instead she found herself having to choke down a mighty laugh. Harry gave her a slight glance, but ignored her again out right. 

"Um, that is good then." Harry lied. "Hermione, how about you show me to _our_ rooms?" 

Hermione jumped at his question. She felt a deep blush on her face for some reason. Also a feeling of a bit of guilt. Harry had no real idea as to why she was down here. It hurt a little in knowing he still hadn't asked her yet either. 

"Of course." Hermione replied, trying not to look at Severus, as she started for the exit. 

She felt as if she could no longer breath, and her body was no longer her own. She didn't want to leave the Dungeons. She wanted to scream at Harry for interupting them, if anything. But it felt like the normal thing to do. So she started toward the doors with her husband following her. 

"Hermione?" 

She froze at the sound of her name on his lips, and gasped for air. Her hand clutched the door knob before she turned around to look back at him. She could see the pain in his own eyes. It matched her own she was painfully aware of as well. 

It was agony not to run to him and toss herself into his embrace to ease his pain. 

"Yes?" She whispered. 

"Can I see you again, later, to discuss lending you those texts?" 

Her heart cried out in joy. _You bloody brilliant, wonderful fool._

She could see him again later. 

"Yes, I'll be back after supper in the Great Hall." 

With that, Hermione and Harry left the dungeons.   


***   
  
  
  
  
  
  


**~A short chapter. Sorry about that. But I promise to update often as I'm on a bit of a roll with the story, and I'm really enjoying writing it.**   
** Also, Harry has something going on that Hermione doesn't know about, and it is very serious. I will admit to that. :D******

**This story will be kind of long, as one of the main plots hasn't happened yet, but will be revealed very soon. And take great comfort in knowing I'm a great Severus Snape fan, so I'll likely never do anything real horrible to him.******

**Look for the next update soon. ;)**   
  



	10. Heaven Can't Help Me Now

**Chapter 10**   
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**_Heaven Can't Help me Now_**   
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Hermione lead Harry to their rooms and showed him around the small suite that had been assigned to her in the castle. He seemed distant and not impressed. 

"Hermione?" Harry asked. 

She looked up from putting away a few of his clothes in their bedroom with curious eyes. He never usually used such a soft tone with her. Only when he wanted something from her. It being in the middle of the day, and classes about to start again; she only hoped it wasn't what she was thinking about. 

Hermione had no desire to be with him that way. She hadn't in fact for a very long time. 

Now, there was only one man she had such desires for. But even that wasn't so easy. Severus was right. She had loved Harry in order to marry him on some level. But she needed to discover how before she moved on in any other relationship. It was the only way to ensure that whatever she first saw in Harry Potter was truly over. 

"Yes, Harry?" 

"Why are our rooms so close to the Dungeons?" 

Her hands shook at hearing the question. So much that she dropped a blue sweater that she got for Harry last Christmas. 

"What kind of question is that?" She quipped. "How should I know why?" 

"You seem so close with Snape when I arrived." Harry continued darkly. "I thought I should ask." 

Hermione shook her head and continued to put away the rest of the clothing quickly. "He's my friend, Harry. Just because you don't like him doesn't mean that will ever change." 

"Liking him?" Harry bit angrily. "It was more than that the last time I remember. You were lovers once, Hermione. You're still young and beautiful. I bet he wants you again." 

_Good._ Hermione thought darkly. _ Because right now, I want him too.___

"What would be so wrong if he did still have feelings for me?" Hermione challenged. "At least I would know that some man still loves me. It's rather nice to feel needed, Harry. You haven't been around for me in months. If it's not to do with your stupid broom, or Ginny Weasley, you want nothing of it." 

"Why the bloody hell are you bringing Ginny into this?" Harry cried furiously. "She's only my friend. I told you that I've felt closer to her since Ron married Cho." 

"Then why the bloody hell didn't you marry her instead of me?" Hermione hissed back. "Why didn't you leave me alone? I might have been married to Severus instead of you." 

Harry looked as if she slapped him. "So. That's what this is all about? I came back too early, huh? I stopped a mid-day afternoon fuck with the ex, eh? Well, I'm so bloody sorry!" 

Hermione could no longer hold control over herself and suddenly felt as if her chest was going to explode. 

"Well, don't let me stop you then, hmm?" Harry replied furiously. "Go on! Go back and fuck your lover! See if I give a damn what you do anymore!" 

It was then Hermione fell to her knee's gasping for breath. Tears were running down her face, and she was crying his name softly, over and over again. 

"Hermione?" Harry hurried toward her and fell at her side. 

"I don't want to fight with you." She rasped. "Please, Harry, no fighting anymore." She cried softly against him as she faught for her breath. 

"Mione?" He asked, touching her face, not knowing why she was suddenly so sick. 

When she passed out finally in his arms, Harry used his wand, and they were in the Hospital wing with a blink of an eye.   
  
  


*** 


	11. Red Wine

**Chapter 11******

**_Red Wine_**   
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**_***_**   
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"Mione?" 

Hermione woke up to see Harry sitting on a soft bed with her inside the hospital. She still felt shaky from before, but was fairly all right now. 

"Harry, I'm so sorry that I passed out," Hermione began softly as they reached home later that day, and reached for his hands, before continuing on. "I was just so upset with you. I don't want to argue anymore with you. We were such good friends once. What happened to us, Harry?" 

"I think that we both need to grow up." Harry chuckled softly. "We were starting to remind me of my cousin Dudley, and his wife, Mary Anne. They fight like cats and dogs." 

"Will that really be enough, Harry?" Hermione whispered. "Even in our old house outside of London, we never got a long there too. I'm beginning to think that we're not suited for each other anymore." 

"How can you say that, Hermione?" Harry questioned, looking instantly hurt. 

"Harry, do you love me?" 

"Of course I love you, Mione." Harry defended. "I love you. You know that, don't you?" 

"You never say it." Hermione told him sadly. "This is the first time since before we were married that you said the words." 

"How about we have a baby, Mione?" 

"What?" 

"I think it would be the perfect time." Harry confessed. "My Quidditch is done for the year. We could have a new baby by next Christmas." 

"Harry-" Hermione replied, finding it difficult to breath again. "Where is this coming from? You didn't want a baby before I took this job. If you did I would have said no to Dumbledore." 

"Well then, why not quit?" 

"What?" Hermione demanded. "I'm not giving up a Professor's position here!" 

"Because of him." Harry replied forcefully. "Isn't it?" 

"Harry, If I thought you meant half of the things you're saying right now, I would leave Hogwarts happily so, forever." Hermione said softly. "But you don't mean them. You just want me to come home with you because you don't trust me here." 

"That's not true." Harry spat furiously. 

"Then prove it." Hermione challenged. "Go home! I'll see you on the holiday in London like we planned." 

"Fine." Harry replied firmly. "I'll do what it takes. I love you, Hermione. I will prove it to you." 

With that, Harry started packing his things for home.   


***   


"You look upset." 

Hermione took the drink of offered Red wine from Severus' hand gladly, and took a large drink before holding onto it with her hands at his dinning table. 

"Severus, I truly am confused here." Hermione admitted with a deep sigh. "I love Harry. But-I don't know what to do next. I married him. My mind tells me that I'm responsible for that. I'm his wife, and should stand by my vows. But-" 

"You keep saying that." 

"Saying what?" 

"But.." He grinned, drinking a mightily sip of his own drink. 

She sighed again. "He offered to have a baby with me." 

"Oh." was all Severus could manage to say. 

"It's all I've ever wanted." Hermione smiled dreamily. "A home. A family. Love." 

"Two out of three isn't all bad you guess?" He pressed. He felt guilty for it though. 

Potter was a good hearted boy as a child. He had his mother's loyalty. But he had his father's eye for getting into as much trouble as possible. That wasn't the best thing to have in a husband. 

"If only I never left." She muttered. 

"But you did leave." He replied pointedly. "There is no changing the past, Hermione. For no one. Only you can decide what to do next." 

"I know." She smiled sadly. "I know." 

"How about deciding for a kiss right now?" He inquired gently, leaning over the table to reach her lips, and poorly trying to hide an obvious grin. 

"I think I can manage deciding that." She smiled, leaning to meet his lips with her own. 

The kiss was warm, making her feel dizzy, so she grasped his shirt as she leaned more into him. When she clearly all most knocked him off his chair she giggled wildly. 

"I think this wine is really good." She said, before bursting into another fit of giggles. 

"I think maybe perhaps we've had enough." Severus grinned, corking the top of the bottle with a pop.   
  


**** 


	12. Death Becomes Her

**Chapter 12**   
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**_Death Becomes Her_**   
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**_The Daily Prophet_****__**

**_Katerina Malfoy Murdered!_**   
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_The wife of Hogwarts Graduate, Draco Charles Malfoy, was found murdered today outside of the Hogwarts School grounds. Katerina Elisabeth Malfoy, was the daughter of the famous french wizard, Jonathan Steelford, and his wife, Adriana Melborn Steelford. Katerina leaves behind her husband, Draco, and one son, Lucius Draco Malfoy, and recently a baby daughter, Andrea Jennifer Malfoy.___

_The young Mister Malfoy seems to be well despite his recent loss. He has been seen in the company of several young beautiful witches. Mainly most of the Hogwarts female staff.___

_Word has it that the young wife of Harry Potter, who is a new Professor at Hogwarts, has caught his wondering eye. Hermione Granger Potter and Harry Potter have been married almost five years now, and have no children of their own. Perhaps young Mrs. Potter has been holding out for the attention of Draco, hmm?___

_Only time will tell us.___

_***___

"Oh, I'm going to be sick." 

Severus grinned as Hermione tossed back the gossip rag at him. "It's a shame about Katerina though." He murmured sadly. "She was a good student." 

"I met her before she married Draco in my sixth year," Hermione replied, then mentioned as an after thought. "By the time we were nineteen she already had little Luke. He was so adorable, Severus. You'd never think he was a Malfoy." 

Severus grinned again. But there was a new sadness on his face. 

"What?" 

"You really want a child, don't you?" 

"I do." She said. 

"Then why don't you have one with Potter?" 

His question shocked her in more ways than she could have dreamed of. _What the hell is he thinking? I do want a child, but my marriage is insane right now. I don't even know if I love my husband, and he's telling me to have his child? What the fuck?___

"Severus, what are you saying?" 

"I'm saying I'm an old man, Hermione," Severus began gently in a whisper beside her in the Great Hall, and gave her a knowingly look. "I'm in my late forties Hermione, and you are barely twenty-two. You have a young man who loves you, even though you don't want to see it because of your feelings for me, and he wants to have the family you've always wanted now. Be happy, Hermione. Go and see him in London." 

Severus got up to leave the table but she grabbed him hard on his left arm. She wasn't going to just agree and walk away so easily. 

Not without knowing what brought on the sudden change of heart. 

"Severus, why are you saying this?" She hissed, her voice hushed. "I thought we were getting closer again. Why do you want me with Harry?" 

"Tonight I'm going on a raid with Voldermort." He whispered sadly, sitting beside her again, as they were getting more than afew stares. "It's- for the best you go home. Potter will take care of you." 

"Voldermort?" Hermione nearly cried, his hand muffling her mouth. 

"Yes, be quiet!" 

"But Harry killed him five years ago." Hermione cried, her voice frightened. 

He grasped her now shaking hands with his under the table. 

"He's stronger, Hermione." He said back. "He has a new body. Just trust me when I say go home." 

"No." She protested passionately. "I want to help you. He'll hurt you like before." 

"Please, my love." He whispered in her hair. "Calm yourself. People are looking at us." 

"I don't care anymore." She hissed through her tears. "I love you, dammit!" 

He grinned at hearing those lovely words. "And I love you. But we've always known that. It just took us too long to see it. That's why you must give Potter the chance he deserves. You've held yourself back from him out of your love for me. I don't want you to do that anymore." 

"You can't order me who to love." 

"Hermione." He whispered, not resisting anymore. He touched her face. "I'm likely not coming back. The Dark Lord likes his main Death Eaters close. If by chance he's discovered I'm a spy, and this is a trap, I know I won't be back. That's why you must agree to move on, love. For me." 

"Okay..." She choked. 

He gave her the briefest of kisses on her soft lips and swept out of the Great Hall. 

Every eye in the room was on him. Before you knew it he was gone.   


*** 

The forest was dark. It was nearly three in the morning when Snape reached the new clearing. 

He had carefully avoided Hermione for the rest of the day. 

If he had to bid her another good-bye, he was certain it would have killed them both. 

"Severus." a voice said. 

It was Lucius Malfoy. 

"Malfoy, where are the others?" 

"In due time, Severus." Lucius sneered. "The Lord wanted you to be the first to see his new body. He is quite proud of it." 

"Well, where the hell is he?" 

"Here, Snape." a dark and evil, yet familiar voice said. 

Severus turned and nearly fell over from his shock. 

It was Potter.   
  


***   
  
  
  
  
  
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	13. Devil's Den

**The Love of One Woman**   
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**Chapter 13**   
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**_Devil's Den_**   
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Severus Snape couldn't believe his eyes. He was staring at the plain, dirty face of Harry Potter. But no longer were the kind, warm eyes that had been his mother's could be seen. They were replaced with deep red eyes that looked as if they could rip out your soul with a mere glance. 

"By the gods, Potter..." Snape gasped. "What have you done?" 

"I've found the better side of things, Snape." Potter replied icily. "The Dark one has accepted me, and soon we will become one. As it was always destined to be." 

"But why?" Snape tried to reason, as his thoughts were spinning a hundred different ways, all at once. "Hermione will be devestated. How could you betray her like this? Above all else, I thought you two were at least friends. I guess I was right about you, Potter, all along." Snape sneered. 

Lucius then punched Severus in the stomach, hard, and Snape fell to his knee's. 

"You will not speak with his lordship in this way." Lucius hissed evily. "You will pay for your disrespect, you mudblood loving slime!" 

Potter then glared at Lucius. He looked as if he was about to take out on him what he thought of his mudblood insult, as Harry's mother Lily had been born to magicless parents, and Harry had went on to marry Hermione Granger, who was also a daughter of a non-magic couple. But Voldermort had won out and Potter laughed along with Malfoy. 

"Ah, yes, my mudblood little whore of a wife." Potter sneered, his eyes glaring wickedly, as he considered Harry's pretty much estranged Wife. "She's is a powerful Witch. She will be an acceptable mate in order to bring about my new heir. No one will have to know that she was a mudblood. -Tell me, Severus, how has my little wife been in the sack? From what I've understood, you've been screwing her every chance you've been given since she went back to Hogwarts." 

"You pig!" Severus scowled, forcing himself up to his feet. "You have no idea of what kind of woman she is. Hermione is as unworthy of you, as she was unworthy of Potter. She deserves so much more than either of you!" 

Potter smacked his face hard with a firm slap. It made him stumble again but he managed to keep his footing. 

Severus spat in his face before the next blow came. It rocked his rib cage as the firm solid foot cracked about a full row of ribs. He cried out softly and clutched at his sides. 

But he still did not fall down. 

"I'm going to kill you, you know." Harry Potter sneered furiously in his face. 

"I know." Severus managed, sounding his best to be brave as his Hermione would in his place, before the next blow sent blood pooring out of his mouth. 

Seconds later, everything went black.   
  
  
  
  
  


***   
  
  
  



	14. An Unexpected Twist

**Chapter 14**   
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**_An Unexpected Twist_**   
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Severus Snape looked as if he wasn't breathing as Potter stood above his crumbled body in the clearing of the Forbidden Forest. "Excellent, Lucius." Potter beamed with pride. "Now that fool cannot stop my plans now. I've work far too long and hard at getting Granger to marry Potter in the first place. This fool cannot get in the way of things now. Especially when we're close to getting Hermione to bare me my son." 

Lucius shot Potter another odd look. It was the little slip up's he noticed most. Potter would call Granger by her first name with an almost respectful tone in his voice, and the next would claim she was the easiest Mudblood lay he ever had. 

"Why don't you just take her, Milord?" Lucius asked, giving Potter yet another untrusting glance. "Even your Deatheaters are not so kind when you've wished them to have certain women. Get it over with, Milord. Take her!" 

Potter shook his head furiously no, and gave Lucius a deadly look back. "And_ who are you_ to tell me who I should be taking into my bed? I'll take care of her in my own time! Is that _clear Lucius?"___

_"Very, _Milord." Lucius said, his tone like ice with layered fear. 

"Now leave me!" Potter hissed evily. "Before you live to regret my forgiveness of your _error, Lucius."___

_"Yes, Milord."_ Malfoy hissed. With a gust of his cape Lucius was then gone off into the night. 

Potter then looked back down to the nearly ruined form of his former Teacher and winced. He had not meant to have been so vicious in allowing Malfoy to attack him, but it had been required. Lucius Malfoy had to suspect nothing yet. 

That Voldermort had indeed returned, but only to find the perfect body for him was dying. That the boy who lived was soon going to be no more. A rare form of muggle illness that was rare in the magical world was eatting at the insides of Potter's body. In months he would be dead. That was why he had wanted to meet his wife in London. He wanted to tell her that he learned he was dying. But Voldermort would use that journey to London to get what he wanted from Potter before he dies. An heir of the power that Potter had stolen from him as a baby. That child would restore him to full form. Into his new form. 

Potter looked back at Snape and sneered at the unmoving shape on the forest floor. 

"Well, you slimey old _git," _Potter sneered viciously, and stood directly over the body on the floor now, as he smiled nastily down at the ruined face. "It's just _you and me, _now." 

With a wave of his wand, Potter sent Snape's dying body back to the Hospital wing of Hogwarts, hoping that old Pomfrey could again work her magic once more, and save Severus Snape's life so that he could live.   
  
  
  
  
  


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(You folks think I'd kill Snape? Wow, I guess I'm not too bad of a writer then. I'm happy I could pull off suspense so well. But you can all rest easy. I'm not going to kill off my favorite Potions master. It would break my heart to see Hermione without him.) :) 


	15. Love in her Eyes

**Chapter 15**

**_Love in her eyes_**   
  
  


**_***_**   


Hermione Potter was reading in her bed chamber when the door slowly opened, and revealed to her a small House elf standing in the center of the darken room. It was an elf from the Hospital wing. Pomfrey had called her Dippy. 

"May I help you?" Hermione asked softly, pulling up the bed covers slightly around her. 

Dippy stepped slowly toward her with sad black eyes staring widely. "Pomfrey sends Dippy to tell Professor Potter something she will not like." 

"What is it?" Hermione questioned, an uneasy feeling swallowing her stomach, as she recalled one of the final things that Severus had said to her before he left her in the Great Hall earlier that day. 

_I likely won't return._

_Please, be wrong, love._ Hermione thought desperately. _I won't go on without you. I know that Harry is a good man, and a man that I should give my love to, but I can't. I just cannot love him! Please, forgive me, my Severus. Forgive me and come back home. Then I'll love you like I should have never stopped doing in the first place._

"Professor Snape, my dear lady." Dippy began softly. "Madam Pomfrey knows that Professor Potter cares for him, she does. Come quick, you must." Dippy replied. 

"Why?" Hermione gasped, jumping out of bed, and grabbed for her robe that was hanging on a chair beside her bed. "What's happened to him?" 

"Hurt, Professor Snape is." Dippy said. "Must come at once, you must!" 

"Let's go!" Hermione said. 

Dippy grabbed hold of her heavy robe. Hermione blinked once and they had arrived.   


***   


"Hermione, I warn you, dear." Pomfrey began gently, as she stalked with Hermione into the ward room. "It's not the best thing to see. I've healed most of the broken limbs, _but.."_

Hermione, tears shinning bright in her eyes, held up a sharp hand for her not to continue her sentence. 

"I refuse to believe that he will not get better." Hermione declared, her voice strained. "I absolutely refuse it!" 

Pomfrey knodded, and opened up the door of the Private ward that Severus was resting inside of. 

Hermione swallowed hard and then entered the ancient Hospital wing.   


***   


He was laying there on a neatly made white colored bed. 

His dark long hair was dirty looking from sweating and was matted down in places. Hermione sat down beside him on the bed. His plain handsome face was layered, deadly so, with thick scaring and brusies. 

Severus looked as if it hurt to continue on living. 

"My darling, I'm here." Hermione whispered, kissing his face in gentle light kisses all over. "Please, come back to me. I promise we'll be together, only if you wake up, my love. If only you _wake up._" 

Hermione, overwhelmed by her intensity of her emotions, kissed Severus firmly on his soft lips.   


***   


_"Hermione, please don't leave," Severus pleaded with himself, as he watched her near the exit of the School's large oak doors. "Never leave me, as without you, I'm forever alone."_

_But she did not hear him in the dream, as she hadn't that day either. As he stood in the shadows of the School, and watched her walk out those doors, on the arm of Harry Potter, those fateful five years ago._

_He then could hear her soft voice pleading with him from somewhere far away._

_My darling, I'm here. Please, come back to me. I promise we'll be together, only if you wake up, my love. If only you wake up._

_Not aware that he was sleeping, Severus Snape opened his dark black eyes._

_His dream was about to come true. Finally._

_Hermione would finally be his._   


_***___

Hermione gasped as those lovely black eyes opened and focused upon her face. Severus tried to smile but the pain that shot up his face was just too much. He looked so dirty, worn out, and so desperately tired as he laid on the bed. 

"Your injuries are stable." Hermione told him happily. "Pomfrey feels that you'll be just fine, Severus. You only need to rest and allow me to care for you. As soon as I get you back home, I'll never leave your side again." 

Hermione pressed her lips to his in a warm kiss and Severus fought to use his voice. If what Voldermort had done to him at the meeting worked, he would have little time left that would be still considered his own. Potter was dying and the Dark Lord would have no more time to waste with him. 

Severus had to tell Hermione what was going on so she could be with Potter when the Dark Lord abandoned him to die. She had to know the truth in why Potter had been so distant with her in their marriage. It wasn't because of anything Potter had done, it was because the Dark Lord didn't believe in love of a man and woman. So Potter could not believe in it as well. 

It would soon be something Severus himself would lose too. That was why he had to get Hermione as far away as possible from him. Because when the Dark Lord decided it was time, he would have no choice but to answer his wicked call, and allow Voldermort to take him. 

"Hermione, please..." 

"I'm here, love." 

Severus smiled up at her leaning lovely face as she again kissed him. It would be so easy to pretend that nothing was wrong. That he was going to heal and could go home with her soon. They could finally start the life they had both walked away from five years ago. Hermione would soon be widowed so it would all be so easy for him to remain silent and have his love again. 

But it would only be days, or even hours, that Voldermort finished what Lucius had started for him in that clearing last night. Then any future they planned would come crashing down around them. 

Voldermort wanted Hermione to bare an heir of Potter's for him before Potter was going to die, so she would have to be warned to protect herself from that too. The only way that could be ensured was that Severus allow Voldermort to quickly take his body instead, as his very own. 

"Potter has been taken by the Dark Lord." Severus began quickly, taking in the look of utter horror on her now grief-stricken face. "I seen him tonight. I also know something else, love. Potter, he is dying." 

"No." Hermione whispered, shaking her head quickly. "That's impossible, Severus. Harry is fine and strong. He'll be all right when I say good bye to him. I know he will be." Hermione replied, tears stinging her soft eyes. 

"Hermione, you know that I'd never lie to you." Severus started again. "You must listen to me now. Potter is going to need your help after tonight. You have to leave for London with him. Stay there with him." 

"No." Hermione cried softly. "You're hurt too. You need me here with you. I won't leave you, Severus. Do you hear me?" 

"I need you to be with Potter, Hermione." Severus began desperately now. "He'll need you with him after tonight. He'll be dying, love. You'll need to be with him too. In case- something goes wrong." 

"No, Severus." Hermione replied firmly. "I'm no fool. I know what you're planning to do. You'll not take Harry's place. He wouldn't want you to do that." 

"Listen to me, woman, dammit." Severus choked. "I have no choice but to take his place. I'm far too weak not to allow it to happen. I was too weak in fighting him off when Lucius marked me for him." 

"That was the reason why Lucius attacked you?" Hermione whispered. "To make you weak should you decide to fight them off!" 

"Yes." Severus said softly. "That is why you must leave, now." 

"I won't leave you now." Hermione declared passionately. "I won't." 

"You must." Severus reasoned. "Because the Dark Lord is on his way." 

"Then let him come." Hermione said.   


***   
  
  
  
  



	16. Endless Night

**Chapter 16******

**_Endless Night_**   
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Hermione shook her head as Severus again pleaded desperately with her for her to leave him and find Harry. That was of course because he knew that Harry would find him here soon, and he did not wish for Hermione to see her old childhood friend and husband, in such a horrifying state. 

But still she would not leave him. 

Severus had no idea that if this news was supposed to deeply touch him, or drive him mad in fear of what could happen if Hermione stayed with him. 

Either way she would be brought to harm. Either by Potter when he arrived, or after when Voldermort took his body instead of Potter's as his own. 

"Hermione, you have no idea what is going to happen if you stay here," Severus declared warningly, as soft brown eyes stared down at him with deep love. "Voldermort wants to use you in his plans. You must get away from here before Harry arrives." 

"For the last time, Severus," She declared passionately, gazing down with blinding love in her eyes for him. "I'm not going anywhere without you. Now get the hell off of this bed, and lets go." 

She began to force him into a sitting position, knowing there wasn't much time left like he said. Hermione also knew if Harry arrived threatening to kill them all, she wouldn't be able to stop him. There was no possible way she could attempt to kill him even in self defense. A large part of herself would die along with him. That innocent little witch that had deeply come to love Harry as family, as he took her in his heart as his friend when no one else would. He had even done so before Ron had. 

No. She could never kill Harry. 

Hermione successfully got Severus to stand up when the room casted dark. 

They were no longer alone.   


*** 


	17. Cold Heart

**Chapter 17**   
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**_Cold Heart_**   
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Hermione grasped tightly upon Severus' body as he nearly lost his footing upon seeing Harry standing inside the doorway. Hermione gentally eased him back onto the bed in a seated position. 

They wouldn't be going anywhere, anytime soon. 

"Hermione, get out of here." Severus hissed at her, clutching at his still injured sides. 

"She isn't going anywhere, Snape." Harry declared darkly. "You've forgotten something in all of this. Hermione may love you, but her loyalty lies with me. It always has. I'm her husband and I'm here to take my wife home to London. Hopefully we can still save some part of ourselves in this." 

"Come, love," Harry pleaded softly so. "Please?" 

_What the fuck is that bastard up to? _Snape thought furiously. _He's acting like nothing was ever wrong. That he never tried to murder me back in the forest clearing with Lucius Malfoy.___

_He is up to something.___

_He knows something.___

Then it hit him. _Of course.___

"Hermione, don't go with him!" Snape said with difficult breath. 

"You know that I wasn't about to-" 

"Hermione, he doesn't need me anymore." 

"What?" She cried happily. 

"Go on, Snape." Harry urged with a sadistic grin edged on his features. "Tell her _why!"___

"Why?" Hermione then demanded. 

"Because, love," Severus answered softly, ignoring Potter and everything else. "You're pregnant!"   
  
  


*** 


	18. Cradle Will Fall

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**Chapter 18**   
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**_The Cradle will Fall_**   
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No. Hermione thought furiously. She couldn't be pregnant! They were both lying! This was just some sort of sick twisted joke that Voldermort was playing with them. 

But then she remembered. The night before she had looked at her photo albums she and Harry had made love. It was the night before she had returned here. That was nearly three months ago now. 

Oh, no. 

"You sick fuck!" Hermione cried. "You made Harry do that! Harry hadn't wanted me then, either! How dare you interfere in my life like that!" She screamed. 

The tears were stinging her eyes and Severus placed a hand on her back for comfort. 

"Come with me, Hermione, and I'll allow Severus to live!" 

"No," Hermione replied defiantly. "I'm not going anywhere with you! You're not Harry! Not anymore! He'd never do this to me. Even though I always doubted if Harry loved me or not, I knew that he would never intentionally hurt me. Not like you! And if you so much as touch Severus, I'll kill you where you stand!" 

"Hermione!" Severus cried warningly. 

"I don't care anymore!" She declared, nearly crying openly now. "If I can't have you, I have nothing left to live for!" 

"Think of that baby, Hermione." Severus urged. The next part nearly killed him, but he knew that she needed to hear it from him. "Harry would have loved that baby, love. You should love it too!" 

"But it's his!" She sobbed now. "It will be a monster!" 

"You don't know that!" Severus scolded. "You have no way of knowing that! That is why you must give this child a chance by getting the hell out of here, alive!" 

"Not without you!" She cried. 

"Yes, without me!" Severus declared passionately, standing up again forcefully. "I'll fend him off! It should give you enough time to run from the castle at least. If I'm not with you in five minutes, run, and never look back!" 

"Severus, no," Hermione cried, tossing herself into his arms. "I love you! Please, no!" 

"How touching!" Harry sneered. 

"Go now!" Severus cried, pushing her off of him. "RUN! DAMMIT! GO!" 

Hermione knodded, giving him one last longing of a look, before running as fast as her legs would carry her from the Chamber.   
  
  
  


***   
  



	19. The Boy Who Lived Again

**Chapter 19**   


**_We All Fall Down_**   


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Severus waited until Hermione's form could no longer be seen and then turned toward Potter with his arm raised. He appeared as if his injures never bothered him at all. It had all been a ploy to convince Hermione that this duel was impossible to avoid. 

In truth, Severus didn't wish for the woman that he loved to see him kill the best friend she ever had in the entire magical world. Perhaps even her entire life. 

Dispite the circumstances, Severus guessed that Hermione wouldn't be able to understand the need to destroy Harry, should they be not able to enforce Voldermort to leave Harry's body, and hopefully die for his trouble. 

In fact, if he killed Potter now, Severus believed that any hope he ever had for a future with Hermione would be completely gone forever. How could she ever trust in him again after what he was about to do now? She would always be seconding guessing what he had done. She might even think he killed Harry out of jealousy alone. Hermione did choose Harry above him first. 

As much as that drove him mad, Severus knew that his reasoning wasn't from any ill feelings he had for Potter. 

All he could think about now was Hermione, and her well wished for, unborn child. He knew she was going to be an amazing mother to it. Severus just preyed that he would live to share that time with her. 

"So, Snape." Harry sneered darkly. "It comes down to this. I bet you're wetting in your boxers right this minute! You can do away with me and have Hermione all alone. But you know that she won't want you if you kill me, don't you? She'll push you away farther than you ever were from her. She'll listen to talk that you murdered me to have her for yourself! 'Mione' could never love you!" 

"What did you say?" Snape whispered, thinking that after all that time calling Hermione by her full name, Potter chooses to just suddenly switch to the childish nickname 'Mione'? That meant only one thing. Potter was fighting Voldermort off! 

"'Mione'," Potter hissed. "She'll never love you after this! ADVA-!" Potter thundered. 

Snape was far too fast and had his wand pulled before Harry could say the words. 

"EXPELLIOMUS!" roared Snape. 

Potter lost his wand and was flipped far in the air by a blast of magic from Snape's wand. 

Potter's body hit the far wall with a sickly smack. 

"FREEIOMUS TUMDRUM" Snape then hissed. Potter was then flipped high in the air and stayed there against the ceiling.   


Cold green eyes stared wickedly down at Snape. 

"You'll have to kill me!" Potter grinned evilly. "Do it, Snape! You know I'll never leave her alone! When the child comes, I'll be strong again! A whole new body of my own, and a lovely young mother that will raise me as her own son! She will, you know! Mione will never surrender a child based on your guess that it is evil alone, and you know it. And you could never bare to kill it for fear of her hating you. Oh, what a delightful web this is!" Potter laughed horribly. 

"Hermione would never surrender a child because the child would be hers, and Potter's." Snape reasoned, making the Dark Lord livid that he wasn't upsetting him. "Hermione will love this child, because it will be apart of you both, Potter. Don't allow the Dark Lord to win, and FIGHT HIM!" Snape urged furiously. "Do you want the child to grow up like you did, Potter? Without a father in it's life to love it? Hermione will be a fine mother, but she'll need your help! Do you have any idea what this child will endure as one of yours? You thought you had a difficult childhood with being the famous boy-who-lived. What do you think this child is going to face as the son, or daughter, of the wizard who let Voldermort TAKE him!" Snape sneered, hoping it would make Potter have the will to fight Voldermort, this one final time. 

"No," Harry cried, tears stinging his eyes. "No!" 

Then Snape knew that Potter was there inside of Voldermort. The Dark lord hadn't won yet. 

"Fight, Harry!" Snape hissed. He then dropped Potter easily, and gently to the floor. 

Potter's body stirred furiously on the floor, as Potter used everything that was inside of him; his heart, mind, and soul, and broke free of the Dark Lord's grasp. 

A blood chilling scream from Potter, and the young man was taken into dark sleep, as Snape casted a powerful sleeping charm, demanding that Potter rest his body. 

_Looks as if you have more of your mother in you than I thought, Potter, _Severus thought dryly, as he briefly wondered if that same strong Evans will would be passed into the third generation of Potter's that Snape would undoubtedly know too. 

As he was in love with the child's mother, and always would be. 

How fate had a sense of humor.   
  


***   



	20. A Union Ends

**Chapter 20**   


**_A Union Ends..._**   
  


**_Two weeks later..._**   
  
  


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Harry Potter had no idea what was going on. 

Except for one thing. 

Hermione was in love with someone else. 

Harry looked at his wife who was seated across from his bed in the hospital room, watching him with tired brown eyes. She had loyaly stayed by his side during his entire time in the hospital. Hermione promised they could discuss their problems when he was better. 

But Harry knew that he was never going to get better. The muggles in the London Hospital told him that he had a cancer of the lungs. It had spread far too long and he was lucky if he had weeks left to spend with Hermione. 

Last night the place had gotten to Harry, and he had begged Hermione to try and contact Ron and Cho Weasley. They had both been his best friends in their last few years at Hogwarts and Harry had missed them horribly. 

It had been his own selfish feeings that had drove those friendships apart. What was worst he forced those feelings upon Hermione. She had lost Ron as a friend as well. She could have been best friends with Cho too. 

Harry could only hope that they would come before time stopped. 

"Mione?" 

Hermione looked up from the book she was reading and smiled brightly. "Hey, Harry. You're awake again. Feeling any better? If you do maybe I can talk them into letting me take you home. Wouldn't it be nice to live in our own house again? Then we can plan for the baby." She replied excitedly. 

"Mione, what are you doing?" 

"What?" 

"I know that you miss him." Harry said softly. "I remember what you said to him before he drove Voldermort away from my body. I know you love him. I heard you say that you love him." 

"I've always loved him, Harry." Hermione replied, with bright tears in her eyes. "I think you've always known that too." 

"Then why did you agree to marry me then?" Harry asked in wonder. 

"Because Harry, at the time I thought that you were the only man in my life that loved me too." Hermione said, almost regretfully. "I know that I was wrong in pursuing you when I loved someone else. I used you to hurt him as much as I was hurting at his rejection of his feelings for me. I never consider your feelings in this. Not even once! I never believed that you were actually in love with me, Harry. I believed that having your love was impossible. I thought you only married me to hurt Cho for marrying Ron instead of you." 

Harry started laughing out loud. "You're totally insane, you know that? Mione, I've loved you since I first saw you. I never told you anything before because I thought you were in love with Ron when we were in School. When I discovered you were snogging Professor Snape on the Slytherin Tower I was shocked" 

"Harry, I should hit you right now!" Hermione sneered. "We were like that at all. We were in love with eachother." 

"And you still are." Harry agreed, making his wife smile. 

"I can't just leave you, Harry." Hermione protested, half not believeing what was coming out of her mouth. But dispite all the coldness and distance in their marriage over the years, Severus had known the truth. She could have loved Harry as much as he _did_ love her. Knowing that felt like a betrayl of the childhood friend she had married without any regrets five years before. It was difficult to know that she could marry without loving her husband but she did. "I want to help you with this. Together we can plan for so much more." Hermione said, gentally touching her stomach area. 

"But you don't love me, Hermione." Harry told her. "You can still be my friend and not be married to me you know. I'm going to end the marriage in the morning. The ministrey owns me afew favors." 

Hermione felt the tears flowing down her face. She then quickly fell into the arms of Harry with a huge smile to her face. 

"Thank you, Harry." Hermione grinned happily. "You truly are the best friend any one could hope for." 

She kissed his cheek and they held eachother like that for the longest time before anyone let go again.   


***   


**_Eight months later..._**   
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It had been nearly a year since Hermione Potter had graced Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with her presence. After the final battle between Harry and Snape, Hermione had left Hogwarts with Harry for a Muggle Hospital in London that specialized in Cancer treatments. Hermione had stayed at the House which Harry had gotten for her as a fifth wedding aniversary present, and got a Muggle Doctor to oversee the rest of her pregnancy, much to the dislike of every single Professor at Hogwarts. Especially Dubledore, who feared that if the child would inheirit Harry's abilities that Voldermort had passed to him, that the child could be a grave danger to any average muggle. 

But Hermione had refused the offer to stay on at the School while she wasn't teaching there. Plus her parents had longed to be apart of the pregnancy, so Hermione decided to stay in the Muggle world until the child was born at least. Severus had greatly supported her choices but she could tell he feared it would mean the end of their budding relationship for good. 

Through letters Hermione had stayed in touch with Severus. He was finally in her spot as Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. After longing for the job for over twenty years, it was finally his own. 

That had stopped her from asking him to join her in the Muggle world. He had desired the job of DADA job for much too long to give it up now. It would have been too unfair to ask that of him, even though she suspected he would give it up in a minute to be with her. 

Her son, Alexander James Potter, named after both hers and Harry's father's, was born shortly after Harry had fallen to the depths of the illness, and died. Hermione was pleased that Harry and Ron had forgiven eachother before his death, and had been great friends again before he finally had died. Ron and Cho even named their new child, a little boy, Harry Ronald Weasley, in honor of him and Ron. 

Hermione wondered if Alex and Harry would be friends when the day came for them to attend Hogwarts together. She could only hope so.   
  
  
  
  



	21. The New Potions Master

**Chapter 21**   
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**_The New Potions Master_**   
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It was the start of the second term for Severus Snape as the DATA teacher. They were all gathered inside the Great Hall awaiting for Dumbledore to announce the beginning of a new School Year. Minerva was escorting a new group of first years into the grand chamber. By the looks of a few, Slytherin would be getting a good new bunch this year. As his position had changed Severus had refused to surrender his job as Head of House for Slytherin. 

Severus slowly allowed his gaze to swim over the Staff table, as he again dared hope to see Hermione sitting among them as he did two school years ago. It had been so wonderful then. They had grown so close again and so deeply in love. But her marriage to Potter had stopped them from taking their relationship any closer. Hermione hadn't felt right about being with him like that again until her marriage was resolved. She felt that despite Potter's cold treatment of her in their years together she still owed him that much at least. 

It had been damn difficult knowing that she was in the castle but wouldn't be in his bed. Then that damn Dark Lord had returned. His constant thorn in his side. It seemed that fate had made it that Voldermort rob him of all chances of happiness. Potter had died at the end of last year. Hermione then had given birth to a son in Muggle London. She had said in her letter that the boy was named Alexander James Potter after her father and Harry's. 

Hermione had also written that the Weasley's had their new child also. A boy named Harry. Severus inwardly cringed at the thought in just over ten years time there would be again a team of Potter and Weasley at this School. 

Hermione had written him about those things and so much more. But ever since Potter had died the letters had become less and less. Severus knew she would be busy with her new son, and Muggle London wouldn't have as many advantages as the magic world would have for raising a child, so Hermione would be greatly busy. Especially with raising the new boy alone. 

But that was something else that was driving him insane. Nearly to the point of paranoia. Hermione had yet asked to see him, or said that she was coming here to visit him. Had what happened with Potter changed her mind about him as he had feared it would? In a way did she blame him for not preventing Harry from ultimately dying in the end? Hermione had spoken nothing of their personal relationship with each other either. It made Severus ask himself if he had dreamed the whole bloody thing up in his head. That she had only shared a few innocent kisses with an old friend to make Potter see what he was missing. 

But she had loved him. He reminded himself sternly. The look in her eyes for him alone spoke volumes of that love. She had declared it more than once too. Never forcing the issue with him as she once had in her youth. That only made him love her even more. 

But where in the hell was she now? 

"Everyone, I would like to announce some new editions to the teaching staff this year, and also the return of an old friend," Dumbledore began, forcing Severus' attention off of himself. "Professor Viela North will be taking over the position as Herbology teacher. Professor Owen Vestra will be taking the job as muggle studies instructor. Professor Ronald Weasley will be taking over Quidditch and flying classes this year from Professor Snape." 

_Thank bloody stars. _Snape thought, and cursing himself at the same time for feeling relieved at seeing the damn Weasley boy again. _I hated that damn bloody broom though._   
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"And last, but not least, Professor Hermione Granger returns this year as the new Potions master, taking the position over from Professor Wedley Nevers." 

Severus looked up at the sound of that name toward the doors to see Hagrid opening them up to allow inside the late potions master. Hermione entered, wearing her old House colors, and the brightest smile that he had ever seen on that unusually pretty face of hers. Her long thick hair was tied up in a bun, showing off that unusually pretty face even more so. 

Having Alexander had only made her even more beautiful to him. He briefly smiled when he could see that her eyes were not focused on anyone in the room, but him.When she could see that she held his eyes she gave an even brighter smile and hurried across the Great Hall at a near run toward him. 

He stood up, suddenly nervous as a first year at the thought she was going to kiss him infront of the entire Great Hall opening ceremony. He was so nervous his hands began to shake slightly as they waited to touch this woman again. It had been far too long a time since they last did. 

She stood before him now. Every eye in the room was on them.   
  
  
  


***   
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	22. A Year Ends

**Chapter 22******

**_A Year Ends and Something Else Begins Again_**   
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Hermione Granger nearly ran the whole way down the path towards the Staff table inside of the Great Hall upon seeing him there, his eyes never leaving her own. Everyone was watching them. Curious if the newly returned Teacher and the ex-Potions master _did _in fact have something between them as the rumors of last year were still a buzz about the ancient School about the married young Professor Potter and the much too old Professor Snape. 

How so much had changed in the last year for them. Hermione and Harry had remained together despite ending their marriage at Harry's insistence. Harry had said he wanted her to be known as Hermione Granger when he left their world one final time, not the famous Harry Potter's much too young widow. 

He wanted her to be what he had loved the most about her in life. Herself and nothing less. 

Upon Harry's death Hermione had officially resigned from Hogwarts as the DATA teacher, and began to ready herself for the upcoming arrival of her son, who would be looking at her as the only parental figure in it's life. 

The very idea of parenthood had terrified her at first. Not only from what Severus had said all those months ago, but just knowing she would be responsible for this alone. 

But all negative thoughts flew out the window upon the birth of her son, Alexander James Potter. Just holding him in her arms held comfort where she thought would be none. 

It was as if Alex was letting her know they were going to be all right. 

Again Hermione allowed those dark black eyes to wash over her, sending chills up and down her spine, as it did when they first began a relationship all most six years ago. The fiery passion between them was still there. Even a mere look from him was enough to satisfy her to her very depths of her core. 

But not this time. 

Months aching for his touch...being haunted by his very memory in her bed...all those nights in her youth they never dared lay waste too... 

How she reviled to relive all of that with him again, and so much more. 

She was ready now. 

As somehow sensing this from her by her eyes, Severus gently took her hands in his, and slowly bent down on both knee's. 

"Hermione Granger, will you do me the most immense honor of becoming my wife?" 

Her answer was quickly lost in the thundering roar of cheers that birthed from the crowded Great Hall, as all four Houses and the entire Teaching staff, gave the couple a well deserved standing ovation of their approval for what ever the couple should decide in their life's together. 

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he then could see through the crowded Hall of the passionate kiss that Professor Granger happily gave a pleasantly suprised Professor Snape, sealing their new engagement.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**The End**   
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**I want again give great thanks for all the kind and lovely support from my readers. You all made this a true delight for me.**   
**Thank you.**   
  



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